Definition

The process of classifying living things by looking at their chemical makeup, particularly the proteins and other substances they contain.

Example

Chemotaxonomy helps scientists understand the relationships between different species based on their biochemical characteristics.

Conversation

I just read about chemotaxonomy in my biology book.

That sounds interesting! What is it exactly?

It's basically how scientists classify organisms based on their biochemical makeup.

Oh, so it’s like a deeper way to understand different species!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Chemotaxonomy is formed from "chemo-" (from Greek "chēmeia", meaning chemistry or chemical) and "taxonomy" (from Greek "taxis", meaning arrangement, and "nomia", meaning law or distribution). The word refers to the classification of organisms based on their chemical composition and characteristics.

Memory Tip

Think of 'chemistry' ('chemo-') being used to 'arrange' ('taxis') living things according to their chemical traits.

Visually Confused Words